Cold War Disappearance of USAF Captain William Schaffner
Jun 28, 2020 2:15:17 GMT
CrepedCrusader likes this
Post by hi224 on Jun 28, 2020 2:15:17 GMT
Aka., The Riddle of Foxtrot 94.
On September 8, 1970, Captain William Schaffner’s BAC Lightning aircraft disappeared from radar over the North Sea while tracking an unidentified contact.
Four months later, his aircraft was recovered from the seabed. It was undamaged and the cockpit canopy was closed. The body of William Schaffner was not in the cockpit.
No trace of him has ever been found.
1970 Incident
Captain William Schaffner (September 11, 1941 - September 8, 1970) was an American Air Force exchange pilot stationed at Royal Air Force Binbrook in Lincolnshire, England. His call sign was Foxtrot 94.
Captain Schaffner was stationed at RAF Binbrook. This base was on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) which means the pilots are at immediate readiness 24-hours a day. The BAC Lightning aircraft served as an interceptor. This was during the cold war and the purpose of the QRA was to defend against possible Soviet incursions.
Soviet aircraft frequently flew into the North Atlantic to test the response from NATO aircraft.
On the night of September 8th, 1970 an unidentified contact showed up on radar over the North Sea. Several NATO aircraft were scrambled but before they could intercept the target disappeared.
Another unidentified target was picked up on radar about an hour later. Several aircraft were sent to intercept, including the BAC Lightning flown by Captain Schaffner.
Early the following morning, the crew of a reconnaissance aircraft witnessed Captain Schaffner’s aircraft ditch at sea. Flares were seen by a ship named Ross Kestrel.
The aircraft itself was found on the seabed by Royal Navy divers about a month later. The cockpit was empty and the canopy was closed. The aircraft itself was raised about three months later.
1992 Transcript
In 1992, the Grimsby Evening Telegraph published a transcript allegedly from an anonymous source that recorded the final conversation between Captain Schaffner and RAF Staxton Wold (see link below).
When asked if he could identify the type of aircraft, the transcript says Captain Schaffner responded, “Negative, nothing recognisable, no clear outlines. There is ... bluish light. Hell that's bright ... very bright.”
This was followed by, “I'm alongside it now, maybe 600ft off my ... Jeeze, that's bright, it hurts my eyes to look at it for more than a few seconds” and “It's like a large soccer ball. It's like it's made of glass.”
RAF Staxton asked, “Is it part of the object or independant?”
To this Captain Schaffner responded, “It ... no, it's separate from the main body ... the conical shape ... it's at the back end, the sharp end of the shape. It's like bobbing up and down and going from side to side slowly. It may be the power source. There's no sign of ballistics.”
RAF Staxton then asked, “Is there any sign of occupation?”
Captain Schaffner responded, “Negative, nothing.”
RAF Staxton asked, “Is the ball object still with it?”
Captain Schaffner replied, “Affirmative. It's not actually connected ... maybe a magnetic attraction to the conical shape. There's a haze of light. Ye'ow ... it's within heat haze. Wait a second, it's turning... coming straight for me... am taking evasive action...a few...I can hardl...”
Radar controllers at Staxton Wold saw the two blips that represented Captain Schaffner’s Lightning and the unidentified contact merge into one. This blip rapidly decelerated from 500mph to zero at an altitude of 6000 feet.
This single blip remained this way for about two-and-a-half minutes. Then it accelerated to 600mph and climbed to 9000 feet.
Then the single blip separated into two. One blip travelled erratically at speeds between 600 and 630mph while descending slowly. The other blip turned 180 degrees and vanished at a speed estimated to be about 20,400mph.
Contact was reestablished with Captain Schaffner.
When asked about his condition, Captain Schaffner replied, “Not too good. I can't think what has happened... I feel kinda dizzy... I can see shooting stars.”
When asked about his instruments, he replied, “...the compass is useless ...” followed by “all directional instruments are out, repeat useless. Over.”
When asked “Can you tell us what happened 94?” Captain Schaffner replied, “I don't know. It came in close ... I shut my eyes ... I figure I must've blacked out for a few seconds.”
The RAF Staxton were able to guide Captain Schaffner to Flamborough Head which he was left to circle along with a Shackleton reconnaissance aircraft.
Captain Schaffner was ordered to ditch his aircraft in the sea even though it had enough fuel to reach a nearby airfield. The article I’m sourcing says explains this by saying:
… it appears the reason for the decision to ditch was a fear that the Lightning had somehow become "contaminated" during its mystery interception over the North Sea.
It’s not clear to me what “contamination” means. The article mentions radiation but points out that when Captain Schaffner’s BAC Lightning was later recovered no trace of radiation was found.
The Shackleton reconnaissance aircraft reported on the ditching, saying, “He's down, GCI. Hell of a splash ... he's down in one piece though. Over.”
A few minutes later, the Shackleton reported, “The canopy's up ... she's floating OK ... can't see the pilot. We need a chopper out here, GCI. No, no sign of the pilot. Where the hell...”
After another few minutes, the Shackleton reported, “This is odd, GCI. She's sinking fast but ... the canopy's closed up again. Over.”
When asked “Can you confirm pilot clear of aircraft?” the Shackleton replied, “He's not in it, we can confirm that. He must be in the water somewhere.”
The remainder of the conversation between the Shackleton and RAF Staxton centered on the whereabouts of Captain Schaffner (he was nowhere to be seen) and noted that/questioned why he would have closed his cockpit canopy.
2002 Transcript
In 2002, the BBC’s Inside Out team obtained documents and classified photographs of the RAF fighter from the Ministry of Defence (link below).
The BBC article reports that Captain Schaffner’s family was never told the results of the official inquiry into the crash. His sons, Glenn and Mike Schaffner, have been trying to find out what happened for years.
The BBC article says,
Reporter Sophie Hull said, "Some aspects of Capt. Schaffner’s disappearance can’t be explained. "But we believe this is as close to a detailed explanation of what actually happened that anyone will get."
The BBC article quotes a transcript of a recording by RAF Patrington that includes Captain Schaffner, his wingman, and flight control. This transcript is very different from the 1992 version.
Captain Schaffner reports, “Contact with a set of lights in that area” followed by “I’ve got my probe light on now.”
I found the BBC transcript impossible to understand, so I can’t summarize it. It appears to be in air controller or RAF jargonese, so all I can do is report that the documents acquired by the BBC reveal the following:
It was not an unidentified aircraft but a slow moving Shackleton reconnaissance aircraft that the Captain was trying to intercept on an exercise.
Its crew had lost radio contact. Then, by the light of a flare, they’d seen the aircraft in the water.
The Captain had simply flown too low trying to get beneath his target and hit the sea.
Captain Schaffner had not been properly trained to carry out the exercise he had been asked to undertake.
When he tried to bail out, his ejector seat failed to operate.
Observation
This is my observation/opinion.
The language used in the 2002 transcript is very different from the 1992 transcript. I get the impression that the 1992 transcript was constructed to convince/fool/entertain a layman audience, but that the 2002 transcript was of a real recording.
Of course, this opinion is based upon my own ignorance -- i.e., I can understand the 1992 transcript; but the 2002 transcript sounds like pilot/controller technical jargon.
(Aside: isn’t it weird that my inability to understand something makes it more credible to me than it’s alternative? This must be a fallacy of some kind.)
Questions
What do you think happened to Captain Schaffner?
Which (if either) transcript do you believe?
Links
BBC article with 2002 transcript:
www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/yorkslincs/series1/alien-abduction.shtml
Wikipedia Page:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Schaffner
Article with 1992 transcript:
www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/589-captain-schaffner-story-binbrook-1970-s-merged-thread
The Daily Telegraph article:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/5031630/UFO-files-USAF-pilots-death-explained.html
On September 8, 1970, Captain William Schaffner’s BAC Lightning aircraft disappeared from radar over the North Sea while tracking an unidentified contact.
Four months later, his aircraft was recovered from the seabed. It was undamaged and the cockpit canopy was closed. The body of William Schaffner was not in the cockpit.
No trace of him has ever been found.
1970 Incident
Captain William Schaffner (September 11, 1941 - September 8, 1970) was an American Air Force exchange pilot stationed at Royal Air Force Binbrook in Lincolnshire, England. His call sign was Foxtrot 94.
Captain Schaffner was stationed at RAF Binbrook. This base was on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) which means the pilots are at immediate readiness 24-hours a day. The BAC Lightning aircraft served as an interceptor. This was during the cold war and the purpose of the QRA was to defend against possible Soviet incursions.
Soviet aircraft frequently flew into the North Atlantic to test the response from NATO aircraft.
On the night of September 8th, 1970 an unidentified contact showed up on radar over the North Sea. Several NATO aircraft were scrambled but before they could intercept the target disappeared.
Another unidentified target was picked up on radar about an hour later. Several aircraft were sent to intercept, including the BAC Lightning flown by Captain Schaffner.
Early the following morning, the crew of a reconnaissance aircraft witnessed Captain Schaffner’s aircraft ditch at sea. Flares were seen by a ship named Ross Kestrel.
The aircraft itself was found on the seabed by Royal Navy divers about a month later. The cockpit was empty and the canopy was closed. The aircraft itself was raised about three months later.
1992 Transcript
In 1992, the Grimsby Evening Telegraph published a transcript allegedly from an anonymous source that recorded the final conversation between Captain Schaffner and RAF Staxton Wold (see link below).
When asked if he could identify the type of aircraft, the transcript says Captain Schaffner responded, “Negative, nothing recognisable, no clear outlines. There is ... bluish light. Hell that's bright ... very bright.”
This was followed by, “I'm alongside it now, maybe 600ft off my ... Jeeze, that's bright, it hurts my eyes to look at it for more than a few seconds” and “It's like a large soccer ball. It's like it's made of glass.”
RAF Staxton asked, “Is it part of the object or independant?”
To this Captain Schaffner responded, “It ... no, it's separate from the main body ... the conical shape ... it's at the back end, the sharp end of the shape. It's like bobbing up and down and going from side to side slowly. It may be the power source. There's no sign of ballistics.”
RAF Staxton then asked, “Is there any sign of occupation?”
Captain Schaffner responded, “Negative, nothing.”
RAF Staxton asked, “Is the ball object still with it?”
Captain Schaffner replied, “Affirmative. It's not actually connected ... maybe a magnetic attraction to the conical shape. There's a haze of light. Ye'ow ... it's within heat haze. Wait a second, it's turning... coming straight for me... am taking evasive action...a few...I can hardl...”
Radar controllers at Staxton Wold saw the two blips that represented Captain Schaffner’s Lightning and the unidentified contact merge into one. This blip rapidly decelerated from 500mph to zero at an altitude of 6000 feet.
This single blip remained this way for about two-and-a-half minutes. Then it accelerated to 600mph and climbed to 9000 feet.
Then the single blip separated into two. One blip travelled erratically at speeds between 600 and 630mph while descending slowly. The other blip turned 180 degrees and vanished at a speed estimated to be about 20,400mph.
Contact was reestablished with Captain Schaffner.
When asked about his condition, Captain Schaffner replied, “Not too good. I can't think what has happened... I feel kinda dizzy... I can see shooting stars.”
When asked about his instruments, he replied, “...the compass is useless ...” followed by “all directional instruments are out, repeat useless. Over.”
When asked “Can you tell us what happened 94?” Captain Schaffner replied, “I don't know. It came in close ... I shut my eyes ... I figure I must've blacked out for a few seconds.”
The RAF Staxton were able to guide Captain Schaffner to Flamborough Head which he was left to circle along with a Shackleton reconnaissance aircraft.
Captain Schaffner was ordered to ditch his aircraft in the sea even though it had enough fuel to reach a nearby airfield. The article I’m sourcing says explains this by saying:
… it appears the reason for the decision to ditch was a fear that the Lightning had somehow become "contaminated" during its mystery interception over the North Sea.
It’s not clear to me what “contamination” means. The article mentions radiation but points out that when Captain Schaffner’s BAC Lightning was later recovered no trace of radiation was found.
The Shackleton reconnaissance aircraft reported on the ditching, saying, “He's down, GCI. Hell of a splash ... he's down in one piece though. Over.”
A few minutes later, the Shackleton reported, “The canopy's up ... she's floating OK ... can't see the pilot. We need a chopper out here, GCI. No, no sign of the pilot. Where the hell...”
After another few minutes, the Shackleton reported, “This is odd, GCI. She's sinking fast but ... the canopy's closed up again. Over.”
When asked “Can you confirm pilot clear of aircraft?” the Shackleton replied, “He's not in it, we can confirm that. He must be in the water somewhere.”
The remainder of the conversation between the Shackleton and RAF Staxton centered on the whereabouts of Captain Schaffner (he was nowhere to be seen) and noted that/questioned why he would have closed his cockpit canopy.
2002 Transcript
In 2002, the BBC’s Inside Out team obtained documents and classified photographs of the RAF fighter from the Ministry of Defence (link below).
The BBC article reports that Captain Schaffner’s family was never told the results of the official inquiry into the crash. His sons, Glenn and Mike Schaffner, have been trying to find out what happened for years.
The BBC article says,
Reporter Sophie Hull said, "Some aspects of Capt. Schaffner’s disappearance can’t be explained. "But we believe this is as close to a detailed explanation of what actually happened that anyone will get."
The BBC article quotes a transcript of a recording by RAF Patrington that includes Captain Schaffner, his wingman, and flight control. This transcript is very different from the 1992 version.
Captain Schaffner reports, “Contact with a set of lights in that area” followed by “I’ve got my probe light on now.”
I found the BBC transcript impossible to understand, so I can’t summarize it. It appears to be in air controller or RAF jargonese, so all I can do is report that the documents acquired by the BBC reveal the following:
It was not an unidentified aircraft but a slow moving Shackleton reconnaissance aircraft that the Captain was trying to intercept on an exercise.
Its crew had lost radio contact. Then, by the light of a flare, they’d seen the aircraft in the water.
The Captain had simply flown too low trying to get beneath his target and hit the sea.
Captain Schaffner had not been properly trained to carry out the exercise he had been asked to undertake.
When he tried to bail out, his ejector seat failed to operate.
Observation
This is my observation/opinion.
The language used in the 2002 transcript is very different from the 1992 transcript. I get the impression that the 1992 transcript was constructed to convince/fool/entertain a layman audience, but that the 2002 transcript was of a real recording.
Of course, this opinion is based upon my own ignorance -- i.e., I can understand the 1992 transcript; but the 2002 transcript sounds like pilot/controller technical jargon.
(Aside: isn’t it weird that my inability to understand something makes it more credible to me than it’s alternative? This must be a fallacy of some kind.)
Questions
What do you think happened to Captain Schaffner?
Which (if either) transcript do you believe?
Links
BBC article with 2002 transcript:
www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/yorkslincs/series1/alien-abduction.shtml
Wikipedia Page:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Schaffner
Article with 1992 transcript:
www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/589-captain-schaffner-story-binbrook-1970-s-merged-thread
The Daily Telegraph article:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/5031630/UFO-files-USAF-pilots-death-explained.html